Things To Get Me vs This Is What They Want
An honest, balanced 2026 comparison — what each app does well, where they differ, and which one fits your family.
Last reviewed: April 28, 2026
Things To Get Me is a long-running web wishlist with a beloved browser extension that lets you add items from any retailer in one click. It's a Reddit favorite for a reason: it's simple, fast, and sticks to the basics.
This page is a fair comparison so you can decide whether you want the simplicity of Things To Get Me or the family-wide coordination features of This Is What They Want.
Where Things To Get Me wins
Things To Get Me has been around long enough to earn loyal users for real reasons. Here's where it genuinely shines:
- Long track record (running since the early 2010s) with a stable, simple feature set.
- Mature browser extension that loyal users rely on daily.
- Very simple "one list per person" model — almost zero learning curve.
- Public and private lists, share via link.
- Free with an optional gold upgrade.
Where This Is What They Want wins
This Is What They Want was designed family-first and shipped some features Things To Get Me doesn't currently document. The biggest differences:
- Built for families and groups, not just one person's list. Child profiles, family groups, friend groups, and a shared family hub are core features.
- COPPA-compliant child data controls — verifiable parental consent, an 18+ organizer age gate, and a Parent Data Dashboard.
- Group gifting lets multiple relatives pool money toward a bigger gift with a transparent progress bar.
- AI item enrichment from barcode, photo, paste-any-URL, or just a description.
- Shared family calendar with birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and email/push reminders.
- Family passcode model means casual relatives can browse a list without creating an account.
- PWA install plus our own browser extension for fast adds from any product page.
- Price-drop alerts on tracked URLs.
Best for…
Things To Get Me is best for: Things To Get Me is a strong fit if you want a simple, long-running personal wishlist with a great browser extension, you don't need family-wide coordination, and you don't have child data to protect.
This Is What They Want is best for: This Is What They Want is a stronger fit if you're coordinating across an entire family (especially with kids), you want group gifting, you want a shared calendar with reminders, or you need documented COPPA compliance.
Feature-by-feature: Things To Get Me vs This Is What They Want
A side-by-side look at the features families ask about most. "Not documented" means the feature isn't publicly described on thingstogetme.com or its app store listings — it may exist; we're just not making claims we can't verify.
| Feature | This Is What They Want | Things To Get Me | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add items from any retailer | Yes (URL, barcode, photo, description) | Yes (URL, browser extension) | Both cross-store; we add barcode/photo/AI. |
| Surprise-safe claiming | Yes | Yes | Both hide claim status from the recipient. |
| Group gifting / pooled contributions | Yes (premium) | Not documented | Multiple givers chip in on one item. |
| Shared family calendar with reminders | Yes (premium) | Not documented | Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, exportable. |
| Browser extension | Yes | Yes (long-established) | Both ship a browser extension. |
| PWA install | Yes | Web app | Install to home screen on any device. |
| Push notifications | Yes | Not documented | For event reminders and gift activity. |
| Price-drop alerts | Yes | Not documented | Auto-watch URLs for 5%+ drops. |
| Dark mode | Yes | Yes | Both support dark mode. |
| No-account viewing for relatives | Yes (family passcode) | Public/private link share | Different sharing models — both work without an account. |
| Dedicated child profiles (no kid logins) | Yes | Single-user model | Built for parents managing kids' lists without kid logins. |
| COPPA-compliant data controls | Yes (Parent Data Dashboard, consent, deletion) | Not documented | Required for US under-13 data. |
| Pricing | Free forever core, premium from $4.99/mo | Free, with optional gold upgrade | Both have generous free tiers. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Things To Get Me free?
Things To Get Me is free to use, with an optional "gold" upgrade for extra features. This Is What They Want is also free to start, with premium plans from $4.99/month and a 7-day free trial that does not require a credit card.
What's the best alternative to Things To Get Me?
For families — especially with children — This Is What They Want is the strongest alternative. It keeps the "add items from any store" simplicity (and ships its own browser extension) while adding child profiles, group gifting, a shared family calendar, and COPPA-compliant child data controls.
Can I import my Things To Get Me list?
There's no automatic importer today. Paste each item URL into This Is What They Want and our parser will pull the name, photo, and price automatically.
Do family members need to sign up like on some other apps?
No. Only the organizer creates an account. Relatives view and claim gifts using a family passcode in any browser — no account, no install.
Does This Is What They Want have a browser extension like Things To Get Me?
Yes. Our browser extension lets you add the current product page to a wish list with one click, just like Things To Get Me's extension. The difference is we then enrich the item with a price and category and route it into a family-wide list rather than a single personal one.
Try This Is What They Want free
Set up your family or group in under two minutes. Free forever core. No credit card required.
Related
- Best family gift list app for 2026 — What to look for in a modern family gift list app.
- Amazon wish list alternative — A universal alternative that works with every store.
- COPPA-compliant gift list for kids — How we keep children's wish lists safe and parent-controlled.